Jewels of Tangaroa...When first discovered by Western scientists, they called them the jewels of the sea. These are microscopic single celled plankton called Diatoms, which along with other plankton belong to the family of Algae which live in the surface of our water.

Algae perform photosynthesis and create more than half of the oxygen in our air, these Diatoms alone make 1/4 of the earths air, every 4th breath we take.

Our very existence rely's not only on the oxygen generated from Tane Mahuta, but equally the breath of life created in the realm of Tangaroa.

Can we appreciate them more if we admire their beauty? or will we continue to destroy their habitat, and in the end ourselves?